Reversible ratchet



Feb. 5,1946.V

REVERSIBLEVRATCHET Filed Aug. is, 1941 Y 2 shuts-'sheet 2 Fly@ @913.

' f zzNvENTOR.

HQLQUGHRIDGE v y 2,394,085

Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Matthew H. Loughridge, Bogota, N. J.; William R. Lockridge administrator of said Matthew H.

Loughridge, deceased Y Application August 1 6, 1941,7Serial No. 407,245'

This invention relates to ratchets and is Vshown applied to a ratchet of the over-running ball type and is of general application. An object of the invention is to provide a reversible ratchet; another object is to provide a ratchet that is engaged and disengaged by a member moving transverse to the direction ofthe engagement of the ratchet; another object of the invention is to provide a hub and a rotating member mounted thereon and connected with the hub by a ball ratchet with means for making the ratchet operative or inoperative, and another object of the invention is to provide a hub with arctating member thereon connected with the hub by a' ball ratchet, the hub having slots therein and fingers locatd in the slots, iiushwith the hub for changing the inclined plane of the ratchet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driver shaft or hub with a rotating member mounted thereon and a :firstA ball ratchet for engaging the member with the hubin one direc-l tion and a second ball ratchet for engaging the member with the hub in the opposite direction, and another object of the invention is to. provide a driver hub with a rotating member mounted thereon and connected with the hub by a first ratchet in one direction and by a second ratchet engaging in the opposite direction Withfmeans for cooperatively controlling the direction of driveand the engaging ratchet. i

Other objects of the inventionare embodied in the mechanism which make it compact; provides for remote control andoperates the ratchet control With relatively little friction. `.These and other'objects-of the invention'will beunde'rstood from the following specification and from the drawing selected to show av particular form of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the ratchet applied to an accumulator of an adding machine and showing the reversed ball ratchets the cover therefor being removed to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of Fig. 1 showing an electric driving mechanism and a magnet for controlling the ratchet;

' Fig. 3 is Aan enlarged View of the hub in Fig. 2 with the rotor sectioned thereon;

Fig. 4 is a circuitdiagram and keyboard that ,may bev used for controlling the apparatus iny Figs. 1 to 3; y

l Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a differential mechanism -in which the ratchet mechanism is usedffor locking the diiferential (subject to al speed centrifuge; p

y Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 8 of Fig. 5and Fig. 7 is al front view of the centrifuge disc used inFig. 5.r l

Figs Briand 9 are end 'views of the two types 0.1. ball engagingV fingers.. and illustrate frespecn tively the upper and lower fingers as seen in Figs.

1 and 3. I

Ball ratchets are used in a variety of mechanisms in whichva. Aball is located ln the cavity between the driver' and the driven member and rolls up an inclined plane in the engaging direc-j tion to lock the driver and drivenmember together. In the opposite direction the ball rolls down the inclined plane` and releases the ratchet. However, it is desirable in certain mechanisms. to be able to render theratchetvinoperative so that under these conditions thefdriver and jthe driven member move freely of each other. For this purpose, in the mechanism of this case, the inclined plane of the ratchet is shifted by a mechanism outside the ratchet. This comprises a finger movable in a slot in the hub and containing the inclined plane so that thenger may be moved in the slot to a positiony to engage the y ofiingers are moved into the engaging positionl the other set is moved into the disengaging position, alternately makingeither ratchet effective as desired. These fingers move in slots-in the driver element parallel with its axis and trans verse to the direction inwhich the ratchetengages. The ball provides an anti-friction roller engagingthesefingers s o that .the ratchet,V may be changed, even under load, with relativelylittle friction` Y A magnet maybe mounted about the axis of the hub and operatesk ran armature against` a springwhich armature moves the fingers so that energizing the magnet brings one set of fingers into operation to engage one of the ratchetsand disengage the other and the spring, when the magnet is deenergizedl reverses this operation. I` In certain mechanisms, such as adding machines, vcash registers and the like, AaccumulatorVV ratchet carries forward the disc from the pree vious position according tothe extent of the seo-- ond operation and in this mannersucceeding amounts are totalized. When it is necessaryeto. deduct amounts from the accumulatedI total, Vor for any other purpose in-which the disc is gtol move backwards,the ratchet mechanismfis re-g versed and at the same time the drive is reversed so that the results are `set upjin a negative LdirecfV timeV f l'The ,electric control provides for-operating'- g the driver in both directions' and for correspondand controlled by a keyboard so that the drive Y is advanced from zero to a position. corresponding with the key that is operated and, after the operation, its direction of drive is reversed until it reaches the zero position. A magnetic clutch or control device 'is cooperatively operated by 'the keys so as tor-engage the forward ratchet when the drive is in the forward direction and, subject to manualV control, to engage the reverse ratchet when the drive is inj the reverse direction.

When applied to a diierential mechanism for locking the mechanism when an excessive speed develops on one Yof the driven shafts, a centrifuge, rotating with the shaft, and acting against a spring moves the fingers in the hub so as to bring a ball ratchet, which otherwise remained idleyinto engagement, thereby locking one side of the diierential mechanism Vand thus locking the entire mechanism.

In certain applications it may be necessary to' cancel a record that has been established or to deduct amounts from totals previously established.V For this purpose it is necessary to drive the recording dise forward for accumulating totals and it isl necessary to reverse the operation of the mechanism so that the disc may be driven backwards to an extent determined by the operating keys for making deductions. For this purpose the disc is connected with the rotor by one set of ball clutches which engage during Vthe forand a second thebackward movement of the rotor-only. The engageward movement of the rotor only, set of ball clutches which engage during ment ofthe ball clutches is determined by a magnet controlled VVVby the Voperating circuits.

.The mechanism in Figs. -l to 4 as applied toa machine of the adding machine type will now be described.

operated on the plan Off, K

m Fig. 1 the hub 92 of thefrecording dise-1s is provided with oneV set of, ball clutches 18 engaging in the normal direction and with a second set of ball clutches 93 engaging in the '1reverse'direction. The hub lvwhich rotates integral with hub l1, is provided with longitudinal slots, one belowy each ball ofthe clutch, in which the fingers 94, 94A slide back and forth respective-y ly;v theseiingers being connected yto the disc armature 91 of the electromagnetfl and they `are normally moved towards the right by the springs 98 located in slots inthe hub I1. and engaging the depending rfingers 99 from armature 91;

The shape of the fingers 94 will be understood fromFig. 3 inY which the Ytop finger under ball 93' has spaced from its outerv end '95a Ydepression under the ball, Vandl all the ngers engaging the set ofgba'lls indicatedV byr93 are similarly constructed. The finger 94A-,fat the bottom of' Fig. v3, has an enlargedsection 96 engaging ball 1|`|r and a reduced section at the right hand fend;

and all the fingers engaging bal1s'18 are similarly constructed. 1 The ends of thedepressions in ngers 94 are inclined, and -the enlarged' and reduced portions of`ngers 94A are joined by an incline. VThe ballV clutch engages by each ball.

rolling up its associated incline.y When the armature 91 is released from magnety |00 the spring 98 moves `the"fi'rigersmlii Vto provide Vinclins: "toi move 4the balls 18 to engaging position, while the balls 93 are located in the depressions respectively of. their cooperating lingers vStand cannot engage the ratchet. When. armature 91 is attracted by magnet each ball 18 is then located over the reduced part vin its cooperatingA finger 94A and is unable' to clutch, while each rball 93 aided by the inclined'end of the depresrotor is reversed and restored to the starting position.

The hub 11 is preferably provided with a depression |03, forming a portion of the ball race, so that the balls Vclutch only when in engagement withthe fingers 94 or 94A. Magnet |00, provided with the winding |0I, is mounted on the fixed flange and. has an open core in the center to provide for the free movement of the hub I1. The springsV 98. limit the movement of armature 91 to the position indicated by the dotted line |02 so that when the `magnet is energized y there is an air gapvbetween it and the `armature 91 and as armature 91 rotates with the hub |1, there is no sliding-friction when the clutch is engaged for either direction of running.

vA locking'arrangementmay be provided for the registeringdisc 16 by the notches which are engaged bythe. plunger Hzsliding. .in the vframe |.|3 and brought .into operation before the register is made.. 1

TheV circuit for controlling the double clutch is shown in lig;r 4 in which'the switch |09 is provided tov change over the control from the normaldirection of. rotation of the rotor to the reverse direction. .This comprises a pole changer |08 connected to the iingers 1.2 and .13 of relay 10 andY from this. relay to the annular conductors i 29 and 30. Switch |08. connects to wire 44 andis arranged to change over the Vinductance from ,conductor 29. to Vconductor 30. rI'he'operation of. switchV |09 reverses the rotation-of.- the rotor Vfrom .the direction of rotation that is established by relayj10. The clutchmagnet |00 is connected withbatteryr by conductor |04 andr is ycontrolled by switch |06 connecting. to conductor I 05. When switch |09 is'in the normal position shown the circuit of magnet |00 is open and the spring 98 brings the ball ratchet 18 into operation. When switch |09 is reversed ra. circuit i-s established from conductor 44,

through switch. |06 to conductor |05 which energizes clutch magnet |09 and brings. theopposing ballV ratchet 93 into operation. 1

A row of keys, numbered from 9 to 15 inclusive, are shown, connected respectively by conductors 3| to the coils of theV stator on the poles indi.. cated from 9' toV l5. inclusive. It will be noted thatl a plus sign appears in front of the row of numbers Von the keys, indicating that the rotor is moved from'zero in a normal direction, Ycorrespending with the number on the key that is pressed. Since amounts deducted from the estab- Vlished total are obtainedV byreversing the direction of movement of the rotor from the'ze'ro'position, the iigures` representing the amount to be subtracted are setup in the reverse order from the figures that are usedwhen the Yrtorjis ro;-

tatingin the normaldirection. A row of gures" with a negative sign in front thereof, from I to 9 inclusive, is placed adjacent to the keys so that negative totals are set up according to the reading of these figures, which are complementary to the positive row of figures for a rotor that has twenty-four positions.

In the differential mechanism Figs. 5 to 7, the driving gear |25 is mounted on the housing |26, |21 and carries the differential gear |28 and |29 engaging gear |30 on shaft |3| and the opposing gear |32 on shaft |33. This construction corresponds with the usual construction found in a differential mechanism. The gear |32 is provided with a hub |40 which is splined to the shaft |33 and the inner end of the hub has a centrifuge disc |34 mounted thereon by the .pivots IH, Fig, 7, which permits this disc to swing on the hub. Slots are provided at |42 in disc |34 for the pivotal connection of sliding fingers |36 and |36A which move in slots in the hub as indicated in Fig. 6 and engage the balls |35 in the cavities of the hub or housing |21 which forms the ball ratchet. The top nger |36 is moved in one direction and the bottom finger |,36A is moved in the opposite direction as shown in Fig. 5. When the shaft |33 runs at. excessive speed the disc |34 assumes a position at right anglesl to the shaft and moves the fingers |36 in a direction to engage the inclined plane at the end of each of these fingers with the ball in each cavity, thereby locking gear |32 and housing |21 together, which locks the differential. The fingers |36 and |36A are provided with plungers |38 respectively extending into an associated spring cavity and engaging spring |31 therein in a manner to tend to move the discs |34 into the disengage the ratchets.

In normal operation the springs |31 have suilicient resistance to oppose the centrifugal action of the disc |34 so that normally the vdifferential mechanism operates in the usual way. When traction is lost by either shaft 3| or |33 the drive is then all transmitted to the free shaft which rotates at an excessive speed and brings the cen,- trifuge into operation to temporarily lock the differential until the excessive speed is reduced.

From Fig. 5 it will be understood that a centrifuge is used in connection with gear |30 and a similar centrifuge is used in connection with gear |32, this provides a centrifuge for whichever of the two shafts are running at excessive speed. Locking of either gear |30 or |32 to the housing locks the entire mechanism.

The ratchet mechanism and its control is of general use in the mechanical arts and may be applied to any kind of a drive.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Yl. In a ratchet mechanism, a driver member, a driven member associated with the driver, a plurality of cavities between said members, each having a ball ratchet engaging an inclined plane in the cavity, and sliding fingers operating transversely of the direction of ratchet engagement and carrying said inclined planes to render the ratchet mechanism operative or inoperative.

2. In a ratchet mechanism, a drive shaft with a hub. a driven member mounted on said hub, cornposition shown and municating cavities in said hub and member with a ball ratchet in one of said cavities, a sliding finger in the other of said cavities with an inclined plane to engage or disengage said ball to render the ratchet mechanism operative or inoperative, and means mounted on said shaft for moving said nger. v

3. In a ratchet mechanism, a drive shaft with a hub, a driven member mounted on said hub, a plurality of cavities between said hub and member, a ball ratchet in each cavity, a sliding linger for each cavity sliding parallel to the axis of said shaft with an inclined plane to engage or dis engage said ball to render the ratchet mechanism operative or inoperative, a collar for moving said fingers and means centered on the axis of said shaft for moving said collar.

4. In a ratchet mechanism, a drive shaft with a hub, a driven member mounted on said hub, a plurality of cavities between said hub and member, a'rst ball ratchet in some of said cavities engaging for movementl in a normal direction, a second ball ratchet in other of said cavities engaging for movement in the reverse direction, a sliding finger for each cavity with an inclined plane to engage or disengage the ball to render the ratchet mechanisms operative or inoperative, means connecting said fingers to slide together to move the fingers of the first ratchet to engaging position, and the lingers of the second ratchet to disengaging position.

5. In a ratchet mechanism, a driver member, a

driven member associated with the driver, a plurality of cavities between said members, each having a ball ratchet engaging an inclined plane in the cavity, a sliding finger for each cavity movable in the cavity to change the position of the inclined plane, and means responsive to the speed of the driver member for moving said sliding fingers.

6. In a ratchet mechanism, a hub, a rotating member mounted on said hub, a cavity between said hub and member, a ball in said cavity, said hub having an annular depression forming part of the race for said ball and connecting with the cavity, a finger sliding in a groove in said hub parallel with the axis of said hub and iiush with said hub, and an inclined plane on said finger engaging said ball for bringing the ratchet into operation.

7. A ratchet mechanism comprising a driving member, a driven membena ball ratchet between said members engaging an inclined plane in one of the members to establish a driving connection between said members, means for moving said inclined plane and centrifuge means operated by one ofsaid members for operating said movingr rality of grooves in said hub parallel Iwith its axis,

a sliding finger having an inclined plane in each groove and substantially flush with the surface of the hub and means for moving said sliding fingers to vengage and disengage said ratchet.

MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE. 

